Aftermath
by everyhazyday
Summary: What next? Voldermort defeated, but what comes next? Hermione isn't sure how to handle no purpose. AU- instead of Lupin and Fred dying in the battle, two other Weasley's have died.


**A/N: I have never written a Harry Potter story before but this has been bouncing around in my head the last couple days and I needed to write it out. But it's very nerve wracking to share something with a completely new audience.**

The morning dawned on the awful mess of a scene in front of the castle. Around them families had been uniting while teachers and ministry workers clearing up the mess, but Harry and Hermione didn't move. They sat on the steps, no family to reassure about their safety and no energy to help put the castle back together. They sat in silence as the courtyard cleared of people and the day quietly dragged on.

As clouds rolled in and the first few drops of rain fell Harry spoke, "so now what?"

Hermione didn't answer right away. She didn't know, they had spent so long and given up so much for the goal of defeating Voldermort, it seemed surreal that it was done. 'Now what' was indeed the question. "I don't know." Her voice was weak and hollow, and Harry put his arms around her, a moment later they stood on the doorstep to the house he had inherited from his godfather.

The next couple days felt as blurry as those hours after at the castle. Hermione slept and tried not to think about all they had lost. Harry had been there on and off, she never asked where he went or what he was doing, she lost herself in a haze of bubble baths, dreamless nights, and moping around the ugly old house.

Her world was interrupted one evening by a knock at the door, before she could get up off the couch to get it Lupin strode into the room. "Harry said I would find you here." His statement was met by a blank stare. "He also gave me a lecture about responsibility a while back and I decided it was time to pass it on, it's time to get up off the couch and get back to life."

"But what am I supposed to do? My parents don't know who I am, I don't have a home or a degree to do any work with, and my best friend is dead!" She knew it would hurt him to shout but she did it anyway.

Her old professor didn't flinch, "you are hurting, we are all hurting. It's scary going on without the ones we love but we have to, we have to go on." Tears were welling up behind his eyes and his voice cracked. "We need to be strong now, more than ever before, because we aren't the only ones left in this world." He made to leave the room but turned back as he reached the door, "and as to where to start, I would start with the funeral for the Weasleys tomorrow. They are hurting too."

So there she was, Hermione's favorite burgundy dress charmed black, feeling alone, surrounded by people. She and Harry had planned to come in just before the funeral started and sit somewhere inconspicuous but Mrs. Weasley would have none of that. As soon as she caught sight of them she bustled over with hugs and ushered them up to sit with the family. Looking down the row of Weasleys; Mrs Weasley, on the end obviously holding back sobs, stoic Bill with equally stoic Fleur by his side, Charlie, Percy, and then the twins looking more somber than she had ever seen them, and on her other side Ginny with her head hidden in Harry's comforting arms, it struck Hermione that she was in Ron's place. That wasn't right, this whole thing wasn't right.

It seemed impossible that the two white coffins just feet in front of her were the end of Ron Weasley, her best friend, and his father, leaving the ever faithful Weasley family incomplete. Her heart was pounding and tears stung her eyes. She reached under her chair for her bag so she could sneak out. She startled when a hand reached out to stop her. Her eyes raised to meet George's while he clasped her hand. Unsure of the meaning she opened her mouth to say something but with his free hand he gestured to the empty spot on his head on the side she was sitting on and then towards the front, he wouldn't be able to hear a quiet whisper and it was a totally inappropriate time to speak any louder than that.

Her heart racing, she made it through the service,George's hand in hers. She stood and looked to Harry, intent on leaving, when the whisper came in her ear "don't go just yet." She looked behind her to the tall boy that still held her hand. He grinned. "Fred, Charlie, and I have quite the day planned."

She must have looked confused because Fred popped over his brother's shoulder to continue, "we are going to do things that dad and Ron loved. Muggle diner for lunch in honor of dad and quiddich and chess this afternoon for Ron."

The diner with the Weasleys was a riot. A party of 10, mostly red heads, dressed for a funeral crowding into two booths were a sight, without even taking into account that one was missing an ear and two others had odd scars, and the mother apparently had no sense of money or how a diner worked. Quite a few people stared.

Hermione felt the cloud around her lift a little as she listened to Percy explained how the ministry was getting on with Kingsley as temporary minster and even Molly's sad face looked a little brighter when Charlie mentioned moving home for the time being.

Back at the Burrow Ginny and went straight to retrieve brooms, already calling out team picks. Fleur claimed exhaustion and climbed the stairs to Bill's old room. Hermione went to the bathroom to freshen up before heading back home, quiddich wasn't her thing and watching the Weasley's play around their backyard was even less interesting than watching from the stand at Hogwarts.

As she finished and walked down the hallway to leave she heard a sniff. Peaking around the corner into the family room she saw Molly in her rocking chair, knitting untouched in her hand, watching the family clock as if willing two of the hands to move. In a burst of sympathy the younger woman pulled a chair up next to the older one. "Will you teach me how to do that?" She nodded at the half-made sweater on Molly's lap.

It apparently was the right thing to say, Molly smiled and turned to Hermione. The afternoon passed in the comfort of the warm room, Molly trying hard to teach Hermione how to make her stitches even enough to not come out lumpy. There was chuckling as Hermione undid another row when the others came in, sweaty and loud, complaining about a possibly unfair catch made by Ginny.

After showers and reheated supper left from family members the family room was brighter and warmer that Hermione could have thought possible from the event that happened in the morning. Fred and George's idea to do things that their family members loved had been a good one. Bill and Fleur had disappeared shortly after dinner, Hermione looked around at the rest of the family. Mrs. Weasley seemed to be trying to convince Harry and Ginny of something in the corner, Percy had his nose in a stack of paperwork at the big roll top desk. Charlie was beating Fred soundly at chess while George sat on the ground near them, making snide comments about most of the moves made. Her eyes settled there, his slacks and grey dress shirt from the funeral had long been replaced with a pair of jeans and a brighter shirt, the sad mood from the morning had long lightened but even his lighthearted banter seemed to have a more serious undertone.

While she was watching him he looked up and caught her staring. He smiled his wicked teasing grin and got off the ground, resettling on the couch next to her, never taking his eyes off her. "Looks like you have a question to ask me?" He said in a low voice, undetected by the other occupants of the room.

"I'm just confused, why did you stop me from leaving this morning?" Hermione asked.

"You needed us," George looked around the room, and was quiet a moment before continuing, "and because we need you."


End file.
